THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Revival Restaurant Review

: Like its predecessor, King Louie’s, Revival draws crowds to its middle-of-nowhere location west of downtown. Executive chef Cary McDowell, back in town after a four-year stint in the Wolfgang Puck empire, returns to his Tennessee roots for dishes like cheese grits and hush puppies. But not everything is down home---witness the rabbit ravioli or the steak tartare topped with a quail egg. And his flatbread pizzas seem like a fresh concept when topped with nicely cooked spring squash, sweet peppers and Missouri goat cheese. Be sure to save room for the desserts, executed with panache by McDowell’s partner, Carolyn Downs. A veteran pastry chef known for her own restaurant, Cyrano’s, not to mention her shortbread cookies, Downs bakes standout versions of Southern favorites like chocolate cherry cola cake. Those who dined at King Louie’s might be thrown off a little by service that’s less attentive and polished, but it bears remembering that King Louie’s price point was higher and that, despite its name, Revival is an entirely different operation.